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This was another busy week as we worked on production for four author interviews, “Bookaccino Live” and Book Group Speed Dating today. Also, I had my book group meeting last night and an author event on Wednesday. And...I loved every minute of it.
On Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of attending an event at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ, where Shelley Read spoke about her international bestseller, GO AS A RIVER, which now has more than one million copies in print worldwide and just released in paperback. The book, which is a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, is set in an area of Colorado that my husband and I know well. We met close to there in Crested Butte, which is where Shelley lives. We got together with her there last summer. So it was really lovely to see her at a location that was home turf to me.
Shelley talked about her long journey to writing GO AS A RIVER and how she still feels so close to her characters. For the past couple of years, she has been traveling the world sharing her book with readers. She also told us that Colorado State University offered a course that looked into some of the themes of the book, with speakers talking about the Indian colleges and water rights in Colorado, as well as a class taught by Shelley. I would have loved to have taken that course.
Be sure to check out my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Shelley, and our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event featuring Shelley as our special guest, by clicking the links below.
We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter.
First up is Julie Clark, whose latest thriller, THE GHOSTWRITER, will be a Bets On pick. Julie shares how she approached writing this book, including how a ghostwriter tackles a subject and handles the storytelling. She also talks about her process, which includes early mornings of writing, and why she will never be a book-a-year author. Julie’s character had some unexpected challenges that derailed her career, and she explains how these obstacles upped the stakes for her.
Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. We will share my Bets On commentary later this month.
I also had the pleasure of speaking with Lori Foster about her new novel, THE GUEST COTTAGE, our current Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight title and the first installment in her Firefly Summer series.
Lori explains how she developed the book, including the first idea that came to her, and where she sees the series headed. Quite fittingly, we talk about our mutual fascination with fireflies. Lori also shares information about her very successful “Reader & Author Get Together” event, and how it has grown and changed through the years.
Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
This is your last newsletter reminder to sign up for our “Bookaccino Live” Summer Preview evening event, which we will be hosting on Tuesday, June 17th at 8pm ET.
I will be presenting a number of books releasing this summer that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. You can sign up for the event by clicking here.
As we do with all of our “Bookaccino Live” book preview events, those who join us live will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
We hosted this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event on Wednesday. I talked about 36 books releasing between now and July 1st, plus 10 from August, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Wally Lamb’s highly anticipated new novel, THE RIVER IS WAITING, is Oprah’s Book Club pick for June. After an unbearable tragedy, a young father reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable.
Oprah, who also chose Lamb’s first two novels --- SHE’S COME UNDONE and I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE --- as book club picks back in the late '90s, says that the author “takes us on an incredible and transformative journey from the depths of despair to the healing power of being able to face the truth and eventually find forgiveness.” In front of a live audience at a Starbucks café in Seattle, Oprah talked to Lamb about character development and his writing process, among many other interesting topics. Click here for the discussion.
Jane T. Krebs has this to say in her review: “Wally Lamb has woven together the bruising outer life of a prisoner with the tragic inner life of a suffering man. There is great sadness, fascinating details of therapy sessions, and promises of change. There is also evidence of the strength of a man facing his mistake. How the novel ends may be a surprise. Or it may be exactly as it should be. You, the reader, may decide.” I so want to read this book!
KING OF ASHES is a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama from S. A. Cosby, whose previous award-winning thrillers include RAZORBLADE TEARS and ALL THE SINNERS BLEED.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “The writing is so gritty that readers will be picking bits of salt out of their teeth. If you like your crime thrillers filled with atmosphere and attitude, then KING OF ASHES is for you. It also continues the nice legacy of success for S. A. Cosby with his much-admired writing style that earns him heaps of praise from his contemporaries and various award committees.”
I am kicking myself that I have not read Cosby in the past, though I have some of his books here. I plan to change that this summer.
Word of Mouth Contest Update
THE RIVER IS WAITING and KING OF ASHES are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. The deadline for your entries is Friday, June 20th at noon ET.
WITH A VENGEANCE is Riley Sager’s spin on MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and takes place entirely on a luxury overnight train from Philadelphia to Chicago, where bodies are starting to pile up and the clock is ticking.
According to Ray Palen in his review, “Riley Sager goes out of his way to top Agatha Christie and her reputation for wild red herrings and unexpected occurrences in the midst of a thrilling murder mystery. I am happy to report that he succeeds on every level. WITH A VENGEANCE is not just pure brilliance but easily one of the finest novels he has ever written.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
Summer Reading Contest Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contest, we gave away THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela Kelley. Next week’s prize will be SPIRIT CROSSING by William Kent Krueger, a Bets On selection that releases in paperback on July 1st. The contest will be up on Tuesday, June 17th at noon ET.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Dawn Tripp
Out in paperback this week is JACKIE by Dawn Tripp, a Bets On pick that novelizes the life of the legendary Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. I talked to Dawn about the book last August when it released in hardcover. So if you missed the interview or would like to check it out again, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 35 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, June 20th at noon ET.
This week, we learned the sad news that Frederick Forsyth passed away on Monday at the age of 86 after a brief illness. Forsyth wrote numerous novels, including THE DAY OF THE JACKAL and THE KILL LIST, as well as short story collections and a memoir. A former Air Force pilot, and one-time print and television reporter for the BBC, he had four movies and two television miniseries made from his works. Forsyth won three Edgar Awards, and in 2012 he received the Diamond Dagger Award from the Crime Writers’ Association, a lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence.
It is worth noting that REVENGE OF ODESSA, a sequel to Forsyth's 1972 book, THE ODESSA FILE, will be published on November 18th. He wrote it with fellow thriller author Tony Kent.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Denise wrote about winning the Word of Mouth prizes of ATMOSPHERE and THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB: “The books arrived in no time! I love Bookreporter for so many reasons; winning books on my library holds list is a new one! Thanks to Bookreporter and the publishers for this spectacular promotion!”
Kelly wrote this about Wednesday’s “Bookaccino Live”: “Thanks, Carol! I always look forward to these events. You and your staff do a wonderful job of letting us find great books to read or listen to. I really appreciate your efforts.”
Here is an interesting interview with Lee Child about him and his character, Jack Reacher.
“Stick” on Apple TV+: Owen Wilson stars as a former golf pro with a tattered history who finds a protégé and takes him under his wing. Sophomoric golf humor abounds.
“The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets” on Peacock: I watched this documentary. Yes, I confess to being fascinated by serial killers, and this case is just crazy. It was interesting to see the daughter of the BTK killer meeting with Rex Heuermann’s family, especially the one-on-one that she had with his daughter.
The French Open got in the way of my reading time last weekend. What a match it was on Sunday!
Both my dad and Tom love rhubarb, so last week I picked up some at the farmers' market with a plan to make strawberry rhubarb pie and strawberry rhubarb crisp. I will see what else I can make with rhubarb. We will be celebrating Father's Day on both Saturday and Sunday. The rest of the menu? Steak, and I am not sure what else! It is supposed to rain, which means this will be the third weekend in a row with rain. May this not continue as a trend. They will be entertained by the U.S. Open, which will allow me some reading time!
Greg and I are going to see Paul Simon on Wednesday night at the Beacon Theatre, which we are looking forward to. We thought the last concert where we would see him was back in 2018 at his Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, so I am happy to have this new opportunity. I have to see if I can find one of my old concert shirts because vintage shirts have true cachet!
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers who are our readers. If you are missing your dad, our thoughts are with you.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review: THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jeremy Sisto
New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown Corby Ledbetter’s marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation still might be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves? Reviewed by Jane T. Krebs.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby
KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Lazarre-White
When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family --- and the family business --- together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident, and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger. Roman, a financial whiz, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his brother: himself, and his own particular set of skills. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: WITH A VENGEANCE by Riley Sager
WITH A VENGEANCE by Riley Sager (Historical/Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett
In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family. Twelve years later, she’s ready for retribution. Under false pretenses, Anna has lured those responsible for her family’s downfall onto a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago, an overnight journey of 13 hours. Her goal? Confront the people who have wronged her, get them to confess their crimes, and deliver them into the hands of authorities waiting at the end of the line. But Anna’s plan is quickly derailed by the murder of one of the passengers. As the train barrels through the night, it becomes clear that someone else on board is enacting their own form of revenge --- and they won’t stop until everyone else is dead. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of
THE GUEST COTTAGE and
Our “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Lori Foster
THE GUEST COTTAGE: A Firefly Summer Novel by Lori Foster (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Piper Goodeve
Marlow Heddings is starting over. She has carried the outrage of her husband Dylan’s affair with a younger woman --- and the expectations of his family’s powerful Chicago holdings company --- long enough. Now, after another devastating twist of fate, she is unapologetically moving on.
Arriving in tiny Bramble, Kentucky, Marlow revels in her freedom, swapping her executive suits for sundresses...and scouting places to open her dream boutique. Best of all is her new residence, an adorable cottage with gorgeous lake views --- and a breathtaking landlord, former Marine Cort Easton. Soon they’re sharing dockside morning coffee and nighttime firefly gazing. Marlow’s new life feels like a dream.
Then Pixie Nolan arrives on her doorstep. With a shocking secret.
To Marlow’s astonishment, Dylan’s “other woman” is a desperate girl of 19, destitute, exhausted and disowned by her family. Defying her manipulative in-laws’ demands, and surprising even herself, Marlow vows to lay down roots in Bramble and help Pixie get on her feet. Then they’ll part ways. But empathy has a way of forging bonds. As Marlow grows close to the hard-working, devoted young woman, she becomes something of a big sister to Pixie.
Now, with each sunrise, Marlow awakens to the life she was truly meant to live, one filled with deepening connections, supportive friendship...and even a second chance at love.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Lori Foster's bio.
- Click here to visit Lori Foster's website.
- Connect with Lori Foster on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Watch or listen to our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lori Foster.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
Featured Review: BURY OUR BONES
IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V. E. Schwab
June’s #1 Indie Next Pick
BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V. E. Schwab (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available; read by Julia Whelan, Katie Leung and Marisa Calin
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada. A young girl grows up wild and wily. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. 1827. London. A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow --- but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined. 2019. Boston. College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, present and future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers…and revenge. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: SO FAR GONE by Jess Walter
SO FAR GONE by Jess Walter (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
At Thanksgiving a few years back, a fed-up Rhys Kinnick punched his conspiracy-theorist son-in-law in the mouth, chucked his smartphone out a car window, and fled for a cabin in the woods, with no one around except a pack of hungry raccoons. Now Kinnick’s old life is about to land right back on his crumbling doorstep. Can this failed husband and father, a man with no internet and a car that barely runs, reemerge into a broken world to track down his missing daughter and save his sweet, precocious grandchildren from the members of a dangerous militia? With the help of his caustic ex-girlfriend, a bipolar retired detective, and his only friend (who happens to be furious with him), Kinnick heads off on a wild journey through cultural lunacy and the rubble of a life he thought he’d left behind. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: JILL IS NOT HAPPY by Kaira Rouda
JILL IS NOT HAPPY by Kaira Rouda (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Marnye Young
If you ask Jill Tingley, she’ll tell you that she and her husband, Jack, are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Theirs is an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. With their daughter, Maggie, away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect. Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He’s only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past that he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter’s sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He’s filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what. But he doesn’t realize what else Jill is hiding. So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Don't miss Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview
with Kaira Rouda in next week's newsletter.
Bookreporter.com's 21st Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, June 17th at noon ET. The prize book will be SPIRIT CROSSING, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that releases in paperback on July 1st. A disappearance and a dead body put Cork O’Connor’s family in the crosshairs of a killer in the 20th book in William Kent Krueger's New York Times bestselling series.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
KNAVE OF DIAMONDS: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available; read by Amy Scanlon, Jefferson Mays and Steven Crossley
When Mary Russell was a child, she adored her black sheep Uncle Jake. But she hasn’t heard from him in many years --- until he presents himself at her Sussex door. Yes, Jake is back, and with a load of problems for his clever niece. Not the least of which is the reason the family rejected him in the first place: He was involved --- somehow --- in the infamous disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels from an impregnable safe in Dublin Castle. It was a theft that baffled not only the Dublin police and Scotland Yard, but Sherlock Holmes himself. And now, Jake expects Russell to step into the middle of it all? Conflicting loyalties and international secrets, blatant lies and blithe deceptions: sounds like another case for Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
HER FIRST MISTAKE by Kendra Elliot (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker
Thirteen years ago, Assemblyman Derrick Bell was murdered in his home by an intruder. His wife, Noelle Marshall, was left for dead. The crime was unsolved, but it wasn’t forgotten. Today the FBI is tackling a fresh perspective on the case and looking to Noelle, now a detective for the Deschutes County sheriff’s office, for new clues. It is reopening everything Noelle thought was behind her. Memories of her escape from a traumatic childhood. A marriage that wasn’t the perfect love story she’d been promised. And a husband whose charm and privilege hid a dark side. But Noelle has been hiding something too: a secret about the night Derrick died that she has never told anyone. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
FLASHLIGHT by Susan Choi (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Eunice Wong
One summer night, Louisa and her father take a walk on the breakwater. Her father is carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later, Louisa is found on the beach, soaked to the skin, barely alive. Her father is gone. Louisa is an only child of parents who have severed themselves from the past. Her father, Serk, is Korean, but was born and raised in Japan; he lost touch with his family when they bought into the promises of postwar Pyongyang and relocated to North Korea. Her American mother, Anne, is estranged from her Midwestern family after a reckless adventure in her youth. And then there is Tobias, Anne’s illegitimate son, whose reappearance in their lives will have astonishing consequences. But now it is just Anne and Louisa, adrift and facing the challenges of ordinary life in the wake of great loss. What really happened to Louisa’s father? Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE PLAYING LESSON: A Duffer's Year Among the Pros by Michael Bamberger (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Bamberger
Nearly 50 years after taking up the game, Michael Bamberger made a pair of startling discoveries: golf had never meant more to him, and he knew almost nothing about it. He decided to cover himself in green in a whole new way. He spent a year inside the ropes of professional golf --- playing, caddying, competing, volunteering and interviewing --- looking for a door into the sport’s sanctum sanctorum. In THE PLAYING LESSON, Bamberger goes on the ultimate golfing bender. You’ve read about St. Andrews before, but here you will experience the home of golf in a whole new way. You’ll join the author as he volunteers in one tournament, caddies in others, plays in men’s and women’s pro-ams, and conducts intimate interviews with elite figures in the game. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
NEVER BEEN SHIPPED by Alicia Thompson (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Ellie Gossage
Micah's relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise. John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who had been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn't take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John has never been one to rock the boat, but he's faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music --- and Micah --- back in his life. Onboard, Micah can't help but see John with brand new eyes, and John's feelings only intensify as the discordant band's tension grows to a breaking point. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE BACHELORETTE PARTY by Camilla Sten (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Laura Jennings
On a remote island nestled off the coast of Sweden, four friends meet every year. The idea is to drink beer, dance by the water, and shake off the weight of life's expectations. The location of the island is a secret to everyone but them. Ten Years Later. Ever since she was a teenager, Tessa Nilsson has been consumed by the story of four friends who disappeared. Her best friend, Anneliese, wants to have a bachelorette party before she walks down the aisle. The destination is Baltic Vinyasa, a sleek, sophisticated yoga retreat on a small island off the coast --- one with such similar characteristics to the tragedy years ago that it raises the hair on Tessa’s neck. Tessa will not pass this up. It’s her last chance to find out what happened to the four women. And it’s someone else’s last chance to get revenge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
HIDDEN IN SMOKE by Lee Goldberg (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Conger and Nicol Zanzarella
After dozens of Hollywood apartment buildings erupt in flames during a single night of terror, arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker are assigned to catch the serial torcher and end his spree. But then a catastrophic fire destroys a major freeway, crippling the city and forcing Sharpe and Walker to take on another massive case. Desperate for help, they know exactly who to call: homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone. Together the four detectives must quickly figure out whether the freeway disaster was a tragic accident...or the work of a mastermind with a horrific plan. As the investigations collide, an old foe with a revenge scheme enters the fray, igniting a race against time to stop a conspiracy of deception, corruption and murder. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
THERE ARE REASONS FOR THIS by Nini Berndt (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Krystal Hammond
Lucy’s brother, Mikey, is dead. Two years ago, when he left their small Eastern Colorado town and moved west to Denver, he had intended to bring Lucy along. But Lucy has only just arrived and is in search of Helen, a woman Mikey loved. But when Lucy moves in across the hall, she finds nothing is as she expected: the city is crumbling; the weather is tempestuous; a predator is on the loose; the old woman in the attic needs company; desire is being compressed into pills and distributed like candy; and she finds herself becoming obsessed with Helen, who is nothing like she expected --- and who has no idea who Lucy really is. As their lives become more entwined, Lucy begins to realize that the real reasons she came to Denver are deeper and stranger than a simple desire to understand what happened to her brother. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 17th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 17th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of June 16th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BEACH READS AND DEADLY DEEDS by Allison Brennan (Mystery)
In this sun-dappled mystery from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan, a risk-averse bibliophile gets in over her head when strange notes in a book draw her into a real-life investigation.
BEFORE DOROTHY by Hazel Gaynor (Historical Fiction)
Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.
DON'T OPEN YOUR EYES by Liv Constantine (Psychological Thriller)
In this twisted psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling co-author of the Reese’s Book Club pick THE LAST MRS. PARRISH, a woman is tormented by nightmarish visions of her future --- and then they start to come true.
FOX by Joyce Carol Oates (Literary/Psychological Thriller)
FOX is a spellbinding novel of literary and psychological suspense about the dark secrets that surface after the shocking disappearance of a charismatic, mercurial teacher at an elite boarding school.
HAZEL SAYS NO by Jessica Berger Gross (Fiction)
When a tight-knit family moves from Brooklyn to Maine, their lives are upended by an event that will alter their new community forever in this bighearted, sparkling debut for fans of NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC, PINEAPPLE STREET and "Schitt's Creek."
THE LOST MASTERPIECE by B.A. Shapiro (Historical Thriller)
In a gripping novel full of plot twists, B.A. Shapiro embeds us in a circle of famous painters in late-19th-century Paris, centering on the anguished Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot and the story of her great-great-great-great granddaughter, Tamara Rubin.
MURDER TAKES A VACATION by Laura Lippman (Mystery)
Laura Lippman returns with an irresistible mystery featuring Muriel Blossom, a former private investigator and middle-aged widow whose vacation on a Parisian river cruise turns into a deadly international mystery...that only she can solve.
NEXT TO HEAVEN by James Frey (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
NEXT TO HEAVEN is a darkly funny, razor-sharp plunge into America’s most perfect town, where privilege, sex, scandal and murder lurk beneath a flawless veneer, from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Frey.
THE POPPY FIELDS by Nikki Erlick (Speculative Fiction/Magical Realism)
From the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit THE MEASURE --- a runaway bestseller and a "Read with Jenna" pick --- comes a stunning speculative story of healing, self-discovery, forgiveness and found friendship.
THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.
TONI AT RANDOM: The Iconic Writer's Legendary Editorship by Dana A. Williams (Biography)
This insightful exploration unveils the lesser-known dimensions of legendary writer Toni Morrison and her legacy, revealing the cultural icon’s profound impact as a visionary editor who helped define an important period in American publishing and literature.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Laura Lippman, Julie Clark, Megan Abbott
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are seven upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, June 16th at 7:30pm ET: “Lisa Live”: Join Lisa Scottoline on Facebook every Monday night through July 7th as she reveals her inspirations behind her upcoming novel, THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. And be sure to enter the Pre-Order Sweepstakes for the book. Lisa will be giving away an exciting prize each week during her “Lisa Live” events, leading up to the book's July 15th publication.
Tuesday, June 17th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Rob Hart for a live virtual discussion of ASSASSINS ANONYMOUS, which is now available in paperback, as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Rob will be in conversation with the bestselling author of KING OF ASHES, S. A. Cosby.
Tuesday, June 17th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Summer Preview Evening Event: Carol Fitzgerald will talk about a number of books releasing this summer that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction.
Tuesday, June 17th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Brett Battles will talk about STUART WOODS' FINDERS KEEPERS, which finds Stone Barrington caught in the lethal crossfire between a dear friend and a secret enemy from his past. And Rob Hart will discuss THE MEDUSA PROTOCOL, which welcomes readers back to Assassins Anonymous, the only 12-step group where joining can be deadly.
Tuesday, June 17th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Julie Clark about her new novel, THE GHOSTWRITER. This dazzling thriller revolves around a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father --- and finds herself investigating the brutal murders of his two siblings in the summer of 1975.
Wednesday, June 18th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Julie Clark about her latest novel, THE GHOSTWRITER, her third pulse-pounding thriller following THE LAST FLIGHT and THE LIES I TELL.
Thursday, June 19th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome New York Times bestselling authors Megan Abbott and Laura Lippman for a live virtual discussion of their latest novels: Megan's EL DORADO DRIVE and Laura's MURDER TAKES A VACATION.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here are our latest interviews:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Megan Abbott (EL DORADO DRIVE)
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Jeanine Cummins (SPEAK TO ME OF HOME)
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Kaira Rouda (JILL IS NOT HAPPY)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: June Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in June do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE ACCIDENTAL FAVORITE by Fran Littlewood
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ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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BADLANDS: A Nora Kelly Novel, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
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BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V.E. Schwab
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THE DEATH MASK: An Eve Duncan Novel, by Iris Johansen
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DON'T FORGET ME, LITTLE BESSIE by James Lee Burke
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DON'T LET HIM IN by Lisa Jewell
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DON'T OPEN YOUR EYES by Liv Constantine
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EL DORADO DRIVE by Megan Abbott
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THE EXPAT AFFAIR by Kimberly Belle
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A FAMILY MATTER by Claire Lynch
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THE FIRST GENTLEMAN by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
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FOX by Joyce Carol Oates
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THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark
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I'LL BE RIGHT HERE by Amy Bloom
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JILL IS NOT HAPPY by Kaira Rouda
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JUST BEACHY by Wendy Wax
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KILL YOUR DARLINGS by Peter Swanson
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KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby
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KNAVE OF DIAMONDS: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, by Laurie R. King
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THE LISTENERS by Maggie Stiefvater
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THE MEDUSA PROTOCOL by Rob Hart
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A MOTHER'S LOVE by Danielle Steel
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MURDER TAKES A VACATION by Laura Lippman
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THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela Kelley
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NEXT TO HEAVEN by James Frey
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THE PHOENIX PENCIL COMPANY by Allison King
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THE POPPY FIELDS by Nikki Erlick
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THE PRESIDENT’S SHADOW: A Shadow Thriller, by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
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THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb
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SO FAR GONE by Jess Walter
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THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU by Kristin Harmel
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STUART WOODS' FINDERS KEEPERS: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Brett Battles
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WHAT KIND OF PARADISE by Janelle Brown
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WITH A VENGEANCE by Riley Sager
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 20th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from June 6th to June 20th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby and THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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